Blind to Attraction
by NightfallRevel
Summary: Rated 'M' for a reason! Hiei makes a few discoveries about, not only himself, but, about his body! Sexual tension rises when he meets Kurama's cousin, but he doesn't have a clue.
1. Chapter 1

**Blind to Attraction**

 **Chapter 1**

The morning sun never failed to wake him early every morning, and as he rolled over, yup, that was there, too.

He lifted the sheet covering him and stared down his naked body. Ever since he'd reached adolescence, at least four out of seven days of the week, he was greeted by a throbbing, enlarged _thing._

 _His_ throbbing, enlarged _thing._

When it had first started happening, he'd thought maybe he had a disease as the pain that occurred after the throbbing was intense. The more it happened, though, the more he realized there were no other symptoms.

He still was not entirely unconvinced, but now saw it as more of a nuisance.

He glared down at his appendage and thought, why couldn't it be _smaller._

It would be less noticeable and easier to move out of the way.

Really, he wanted nothing to do with it until he had to use the bathroom. It was the only thing it was good for, anyway.

Sure, he knew that it was meant to be used for reproduction, too, but he had no intentions of doing such a thing. Ever.

The very thought made him shiver and he was glad to feel the throbbing ebb away. Today, he was spared any pain.

Thanking the gods, whichever ones were out there, he got out of bed and got dressed. He ran his hand quickly through his hair once and then headed for downstairs.

At the top of the steps, he froze. Great. _They_ were here. Heavenly joy.

More eager for breakfast than he was in avoiding _them_ , he descended to the living room silently in hopes of not being seen.

"Oi, Hiei! Morning, sunshine."

 _Damn._

Hiei froze in place on the landing and shot Yusuke a glare, who chuckled.

Kurama exited the kitchen at that moment carrying a tray laden with hot food for them all.

Hiei followed the smell, still glaring at Yusuke.

Kurama rolled his eyes, "Yusuke, leave him alone. Hiei's not a morning person and I really don't feel like replacing the recliner again."

Yusuke's eyes widened, "He set it on fire?"

Kurama sighed, "I wish that were the case."

Hiei smirked cruelly as Yusuke's face dropped in shock.

"Okay, I don't wanna know."

"Where's the moron? I know he's here, his stench is everywhere."

"I'm right here, shorty, and I showered this morning. Thank you very much!" Kuwabara came in the room and parked it next to Yusuke.

Hiei sneered, "So, he _does_ know how to bathe."

Kuwabara shot up, "Hey, that's more than _you_ can say! You don't exactly smell like a rose, you know!"

Hiei barked out a short laugh, "Proving you know nothing. If there's one thing you should've learned by now, it's not to fight me. _You'll lose._ "

Kuwabara opened his mouth to argue more, but Kurama interrupted.

"Please! For the sake of my furniture!"

Kuwabara blinked, "What? Your furn-"

Yusuke yanked Kuwabara back down on the couch, cutting him off, "Don't ask. Hiei's not a morning person and that's as far as I want to get."

Kuwabara grumbled, managing a disgruntled, "Whatever," and leaving it at that.

Hiei, satisfied that he'd won even though it was indirectly, sat on the recliner across from the couch and snagged a piece of toast.

Kuwabara continued to glare, which only served to lighten Hiei's mood. Knowing the moron was unhappy made him happy.

"So, Yusuke," Kurama started a conversation to keep them away from arguments, "Your wedding with Keiko is in two weeks. Are you nervous?"

The detective chuckled, "Nah. Only that she'll come to her senses and run away."

Kurama and Kuwabara laughed.

Kurama pressed on, "What did you decide on for the honeymoon?"

Yusuke shrugged, "Whatever she wanted to do. I only care about what happens once we get there, if you know what I mean." He gave a sly wink at Kuwabara, who guffawed, and Kurama shook his head with a slight smile.

"I'm just surprised you guys haven't done it, yet," Kuwabara said as he took a bite of eggs.

Yusuke shrugged, "She wouldn't _let_ me. Instead, I was left to suffer from blue balls all the time."

Kuwabara gaped, "You mean you never…" he hesitated, " _You know?_ "

Yusuke laughed, "Are you stupid? Of course, I did! Just when she wasn't around. No more self-servicing for me, though. Thank God."

Hiei narrowed his eyes, "What the _hell_ are you _talking_ about?"

All eyes turned to Hiei in surprise.

Hiei's eyebrows rose at the surrounding silence, " _What._ "

Yusuke's mouth slowly opened into a gape, "Don't tell me… omigawd… Hiei, you've never… Wow."

Kuwabara burst out into laughter, "And he calls himself a man!"

Kurama's cheeks turned a light pink, "Kuwabara, please, I hardly find that it makes him less of a man. He's just… inexperienced." He cleared his throat and turned a concerned eye on Hiei.

Hiei was getting pissed off. What the _hell_ was their problem?

"Someone better start explaining or it won't be just the furniture that will need replacing." He glared at the other men.

Kurama paled and Kuwabara stopped laughing. Yusuke cleared his throat.

"Hiei," Yusuke edged forward on his seat, speaking quietly, "What you're saying is that you've never heard of… or even ever…"

An uncomfortable silence passed over the men and Yusuke cleared his throat again.

"You've never… _jerked off?_ "

Hiei raised an eyebrow.

Yusuke continued, "You've never got your rocks off, done the one-hand shimmy, _masturbated!?_ Come _on,_ Hiei! Gimme a break here!"

Kuwabara gave Yusuke a weird look, " _The one-hand shimmy?_ "

Yusuke shrugged, "I may or may not have made that one up. At least give me points for creativity."

"Masturbate," Yusuke and Kuwabara turned to Hiei with hope that it finally clicked.

Hiei's eyebrow furrowed, "That term seems familiar… You're talking about sex, aren't you?"

Kuwabara slapped his forehead, "I can't take this anymore. This one is all you guys."

Yusuke let out a frustrated groan as he covered his face with his palm, "How do you survive _morning wood?_ "

Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama stared at Hiei, waiting for any kind of hint of recognition.

When his face remained blank, the air in the room became heavy with another awkward silence.

"You live with him, you tell him." Yusuke stated blankly.

"That's exactly why I _shouldn't_ tell him." Kurama argued.

"You know him better."

"You're more blunt and direct."

"You're… shit." Yusuke slumped in defeat, "Fine."

Hiei was becoming irritated as he did not particularly enjoy waiting.

"Would you explain what you're talking about, already?"

Yusuke cleared his throat, "Ah, well, uh… morning wood. That's when… you wake up aroused in, well, the morning…"

"Aroused." Hiei didn't even blink.

Yusuke slapped his face with his palm, "Do I gotta spell it out for you?! Geez! No _wonder_ you're not a morning person."

Hiei sat in his usual tree, deep in the woods and high off the ground. The only surrounding sounds were the occasional breeze through the leaves and the chatter of the creatures that lived there.

It was the perfect place for him to think.

To think about what Yusuke had explained to him.

He would have felt more embarrassed about not knowing anything about _morning wood_ , but he'd never had anyone to talk to him about those kinds of things.

He felt glad that he didn't have some sort of disease and that there was even a way to make it go away.

Yusuke had been forced to give a small demonstration using a banana.

Hiei found himself amused by Yusuke's discomfort at that moment and smirked to himself.

As the sun started to sink below the horizon, Hiei made his way home and thought that perhaps he should try this remedy to his "disease".

 **A/N:**

 **Is this what you think it's going to be? Yes and no.**

 **It WILL be graphic, so, please, if you don't feel comfortable reading graphic sexual related things, then stop here and spare yourself. c:**

 **Thank you for reading and please leave me a review! :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Hiei found himself staring down his naked body, yet again.

This time, however, he knew what to do. Sort of.

He wondered if he should do it lying down, sitting up, if he should _stand._

After a brief hesitation, he decided to stay lying down.

With a slight wince, he gently took hold of his enlarged member.

His eyes widened, surprised by how hard it was and how it reacted to him simply grabbing it.

The throbbing intensified and he felt the need to do something to answer its calling.

He pulled upwards on his member and took a sharp intake of breath and released it on a hiss.

A bit too hard, he realized. He needed to be a bit gentler, he thought.

As Hiei let go of himself to let the pain ebb away, he thought about what he could do to keep from hurting himself.

If he was really honest with himself, he felt rather ridiculous for having made such a mistake as to hurt himself in such a manner.

And stupid, which pissed him off.

Before he could dwell on the matter or make a second attempt, a knock sounded on his door.

"Hiei?" Kurama's voice came through the door, "Are you up?"

Without calling back, Hiei stood and got dressed.

Hiei opened his door to Kurama waiting for him.

Kurama's eyes widened, "You're in a foul mood."

There was a brief pause as Kurama stared at Hiei and Hiei stared down the hall at nothing.

"Ah."

Hiei slapped a glare on Kurama, to which Kurama sighed in resignation.

"We're needed downstairs. Koenma is giving us a new assignment."

"Is that what you called me out here for? I no longer work under Koenma's thumb. I'm not interested."

Kurama stopped Hiei as he started to walk away down the hall, "Don't say you're not interested until you hear the mission."

Hiei's eyes narrowed at the redhead, "I don't –"

"It's a thieving mission."

The two men stared at each other in silence.

After a moment, Hiei sighed and dropped his gaze, "Fine. I'll at least listen to what it is."

Kurama gave a small smile, "Thank you."

"Hn."

As they made their way downstairs, the volume of laghter from Yusuke and Kuwabara increased.

Once they caught sight of Hiei, however, they ceased.

Yusuke cleared his throat as Hiei glared at them, "So, uh, still not a morning person, huh?"

"Tch," Hiei nearly growled and made his way to the window seat as Kuwabara barely managed to keep from snickering.

Yusuke cocked a small grin, "I thought that might still be the case, so I found someone who could help you."

Hiei's head snapped around, " _What._ "

"Yeah, you know, someone with experience. A woman. Don't worry, she'll take good care of you."

Kuwabara nearly fell off his chair, he started laughing so hard.

Kurama gaped, "Yusuke, you _didn't_."

At that moment, Koenma and Botan entered through a bright portal.

The scene they walked in on was baffling, but hardly unexpected by the toddler king in training.

He swore that these boys would always be boys, never men. Except maybe Kurama. Hiei was promising, too.

Which left him with the two human boys guffawing in front of him, Kurama appeared mortified and Hiei looked like, well, Hiei. Always wanting to kill something or someone.

Koenma cleared his throat, bringing them all to attention.

As the boys gathered themselves, Koenma started, "There have been reports of a dangerous artifact that has fallen into…ambitious hands. The name of this artifact is The Six. It's called 'The Six' because it is in six pieces. One piece by itself is useless. All pieces together, however, well… that's a different story."

Yusuke cracked his knuckles, "Alright, so who's lucky ass do we get to beat for this artifact?"

Koenma frowned, "That's the problem. You don't."

Yusuke's jaw dropped, "We're _fighters_ , Koenma, what else are we going to do?"

Koenma's brow furrowed, "I understand your concern, Yusuke, but it's just not the way this situation can be handled." He turned to Botan, "I'll let you tell them the rest. Dad needs me in his office soon."

Botan gulped, "Yessir! Good luck!"

As Koenma disappeared through a new portal, Yusuke flipped him the bird.

"Yusuke!" Botan shrilled.

"What!" Yusuke protested, "It's just like him to hand off the dirty work."

Botan rolled her eyes, "Look, this artifact is thought to be in the hands of a well-established nobleman. It is unknown if he's even aware of what he has."

Kurama frowned, "So, we need to investigate before we retrieve. If he knows what he has, our strategy will have to be intricate. We'll have to be quite discreet for this mission."

"Bingo!" Botan pointed her index finger upwards to prove her point, "Koenma has actually requested some outside help."

Everyone blinked at her in surprise.

"Seriously." Yusuke retorted, "Does he think we can't handle it or something? Does he think we're incompetent _children_ or something!"

Kurama pushed Yusuke back down on the couch, "Calm down, Yusuke. I'm sure that's not the case."

"Yeah, well –"

"Idiot." Hiei interrupted, "We need outside help because everyone knows who we are."

Yusuke gaped, "Oh, yeah. Didn't think of that."

Botan cleared her throat, "So! The help Koenma has requested is actually your cousin, Kurama!"

Kurama's eyes widened, "My cousin?" He paused, "Do you mean… the Shadow Thief?"

Botan grinned, "Bingo, bingo! The Shadow Thief is exactly the right person for infiltration. You know what to do, Kurama! And with that, I'm off! Bye!"

The guys watched as she pulled out her oar and flew into her own portal.

No sooner had she gone, the doorbell rang.

Yusuke clapped and rubbed his hands together, "Right on time!"

Kurama and Kuwabara shot to their feet, immediately shouting at Yusuke to turn their guest away.

Hiei watched them in near amusement, "Who the hell is at the door?"

Yusuke grinned, "You'll see." He disappeared around the corner and the sounds of him greeting someone reached their ears.

Kurama and Kuwabara stood straight as boards and looked everywhere but at Hiei and the approaching guest.

"Oi, guys," Yusuke popped into the room first, "I'd like you all to meet Alistair."

The woman who came around the corner was too skinny, her hair was too big, and she had on too much make-up.

Hiei concluded that this woman was a mash up of too much. Not to mention her too-large teeth in her too-wide smile.

Alistair's eyes landed on Kurama first, then Hiei, "Oh, my. This room is full of such attra–" her eyes landed on Kuwabara and she faltered, clearing her throat, "attractive men." Her eyes quickly found Kurama again.

Yusuke laughed, "You'll only be serving one of them today."

Hiei suddenly understood what was going on.

" _Get her out._ " Hiei bit out angrily.

Yusuke didn't stop smiling, "C'mon, Hiei. You can't deny you need help. Who better to help you than a –" he paused, "A woman."

Kurama paled, "Yusuke, I think this is a bad idea. If Hiei wanted to be with a woman, don't you think he would've done it already?"

Yusuke blanched, "Are you implying that Hiei is _gay_?"

Hiei growled loudly and got in Yusuke's face, who took a step back, "I'm not into men, if you really must know. What Kurama was trying to say in a nice way was to mind your own damn business."

Yusuke shrugged, "Hey, I just wanna help, man. Maybe it'll help you lighten up."

The next thing Hiei knew, he was struggling face down on the carpet, weighed down by the combined efforts of Kurama and Kuwabara. Yusuke had pressed himself against the opposite wall; Alistair was screaming.

"I'll kill you, detective!" Hiei yelled as he tried to claw his way to Yusuke, "Lighten up! I'll show you 'lighten up' when I _lightly_ kill you!"

"That doesn't even make sense!" Yusuke yelled at him.

Alistair was still screaming.

"I don't care! I'm still going to kill you!" Hiei continued to yell.

Kuwabara smooshed Hiei's face into the carpet, "Hiei, you need to calm down. You're overreacting, shorty!"

Hiei stilled and everything got quiet…except Alistair was still shrieking.

As one, the four men turned to her and shouted, "Shut up!"

She at least had the good grace to simmer down to a whimpering.

"Get off me," Hiei's tone was still angry, but he was much calmer, so Kurama and Kuwabara backed off.

As Hiei rose, his crimson glare shifted from Yusuke to the girl.

Insulted, humiliated, and degraded all in a matter of minutes. Yusuke was going to pay for this, but it would have to be when he wasn't expecting it.

When Hiei's eyes left the cowering girl, he locked eyes with Yusuke again.

"She's weak."

A sly grin worked its way back onto Yusuke's mug, "You telling me you like it rough?"

As a growl issued from Hiei's throat, Yusuke put up his hands in defense and laughed, "I'm kidding, I'm kidding. I know what you mean. I should have thought of that."

Hiei's eyes flashed, "You won't think of it again. Stop trying to help me. I don't need any."

Yusuke sighed as if defeated, "Alright, Hiei, fine." He turned to Kurama, "Will you help her out?"

Kurama nodded and the prostitute was calmly walked out the door.

 **A/N:**

 **Phase two is complete! Hahahaha!**

 ***clears throat* So, I'm trying to keep up the humor while also keeping it serious in the important parts. I hope I'm doing a good job! :O**

 **Please send me a review to let me know~**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Hiei was beginning to see a pattern in his daily life lately as he stared at his body.

Fully clothed in the bathroom mirror.

The clothes he'd been given to wear were abhorrent. No matter how necessary they were, all he wanted to do was rip them from his body and set them on fire. He also wouldn't mind setting fire to the club they were going to. A demon club in the Human World that allowed humans to enter was a really bad idea. Then again, he could also see the appeal to certain demons. The kind who enjoyed chaos, particularly the emotional kind.

Succubi would probably be there, too; those nymphomaniacs.

Hiei nearly gagged at the thought of having sex with a human. Like he thought, demon club - Human World, bad idea.

With a grimace, Hiei barely managed to squeeze his katana under the leather trench coat he was wearing. The shirt he had on was black and sleek without sleeves. He frowned at the way it clung to his torso, nearly defining his muscles. The black leather pants were no better, being too tight in places they shouldn't be. The shit-kickers that were planted on his feet, he kind of liked. They were a bit heavy, which slowed him down slightly, but they seemed like they would add a little force if he needed to kick someone's face in.

Like Yusuke's. Or Kuwabara's. Maybe both. He wasn't sure, but the thought pleased him.

Finally, with an indignant huff, he marched down the stairs to meet up with the others, who he glared at. Despite the murderous look he was giving him, Yusuke grinned and gave him the thumbs up, "Not bad! I bet the ladies would _kill_ to have a shot with you tonight!"

Hiei dropped all emotion and blinked at Yusuke once before turning on his heel to head back upstairs, "That's it, I'm not going."

"Oh, come on, Hiei!" Yusuke shouted after him, "It's not like I was going to set you up with any of them!"

Hiei heard Kurama's soft voice from below as he reached the top of the stairs, "It's fine. Let him be. He doesn't actually need to go for this."

Anything else that was said, Hiei tuned out as he slammed his bedroom door and stripped off his clothes. Glancing outside, he decided that it would be a great time to go on a run. He looked down at the clothes on the floor as he stepped over them to his closet. _And a bonfire, too._

Several hours later, Hiei had fallen asleep in the tree in front of the house when the guys finally returned. Yusuke and Kuwabara had obviously had a few drinks by the raucous they were making. Luckily, Kurama's house was well enough away from anyone else's that the only one they could bother was Hiei. And he was bothered. A lot.

Sourly, he cracked his eyes open to glare at them as they approached the house. The morons had their arms slung over each other's shoulders and were shouting, rather than singing, some ridiculous song that they'd most likely heard at the club. Following not too far behind them was Kurama. Ever the responsible one, he showed no signs of being intoxicated. He was, however, speaking quietly to the woman next to him.

Hiei's eyes snapped all the way open. He was fully awake now as he took in the woman's presence. Her facial features were sharp, yet graceful, just like her movements.

Her onyx hair was short and purposefully choppy, one side longer than the other, and barely brushed the nape of her neck. Thin, angular eyebrows framed almond shaped eyes that, when the moonlight caught them, were a deep sea blue. Her body was... average. She wasn't so thin that you feared for her life and she wasn't so curvy you expected her to fall over from the extra weight.

Sniffing the air, Hiei could tell she wasn't human. Hot rage filled his veins and, before he knew what he was doing, he leaped from the tree and dashed for his target.

"What the _fuck_!" Shouted Yusuke as he hid behind his best friend, "Have you lost your mind?"

Hiei struggled furiously against the vines that had taken root and wrapped themselves around his ankles and feet, keeping him from reaching his destination. He'd only made it within fifty feet. "I could ask you the same thing." Hiei growled out.

Yusuke came out from behind Kuwabara, confusion written on his face, "What are you tal-" his eyes fell on the woman, "Oh. Shit, no, Hiei-"

Hiei set the vines on fire, freeing himself, and launched towards Yusuke. Without his katana to impale him with, he settled for delivering swift blows with his fists. Even intoxicated, Yusuke kept up with ease.

"Cut it out, man! It's a misunderstanding!" Yusuke shouted at him, but he ignored him. Too angry to care what the ex-detective was saying. Before he could throw the next punch, Hiei felt something sharp on his neck as he was yanked backwards onto the ground. He tried to reach up to remove the constraint, but found he couldn't move.

 _Kurama's Rose Whip. He must have dipped its thorns in a paralyzing toxin._

"Everyone go inside while I have a chat with him." Kurama was pissed. Hiei could hear it in the calm of his voice.

"Yeah," Yusuke complied, "C'mon, guys." Kurama waited as the guys lead the woman into the house before removing his Rose Whip from Hiei's throat.

"I see you're using some new tricks," Hiei seethed. His extremities were numb and tingling from the neurotoxin. It was similar to the feeling you get when you've sat in one place for too long and your limbs "fall asleep". It was a almost painful and all Hiei wanted to do was move and get his blood flowing again. Except he couldn't. Kurama ignored his comment as he knelt over the fire apparition, still quite angry.

"Hiei, that woman," a hand went to his face as he pinched the bridge of his nose, "is my cousin. Her name is Kira."

Hiei's eyes widened, "Your..." _Oh, fuck_. It had completely slipped his mind that the whole purpose of even going to the club was to meet up with Kurama's cousin. Now that he thought about it, he _had_ noticed the delicate black fox ears that were perched on top of her head...and her tail. It just hadn't registered once his anger had taken over. _Shit._ He felt thoroughly embarrassed by his actions, but he wasn't about to admit it. Apologizing would be worse.

Instead, he frowned and grunted, looking away from Kurama's face. Not that he could move his head, but that didn't mean he had to meet the fox's gaze. Kurama let out a frustrated sigh and stood up, "I don't expect you to apologize to anyone, but, when you go inside, could you at least act civilized? You should be able to move again in about another minute or so." Hiei said nothing as he glared at the stars in the sky. Without another word, Kurama left Hiei to cool off in the grass.

When he entered the house, he was surprised to find Yusuke and Kuwabara keeping quite a safe distance from his cousin. His cousin, who seemed to be quite angry. The dull headache that had developed during his conversation with Hiei, sharpened. This didn't look good.

"Kurama," Kira's sharp tone caused him to wince as it pierced through his migraine, "I hope that I know you well enough to know that you had no part in these boys' foul behavior?"

Kurama stared at her a moment in confusion until her eyes narrowed, "I... Oh." It clicked in, "They told you about the prostitute. No, I had no hand in that."

Kira nodded, "Good, I'm glad that I can still count on my favorite cousin." She gave him a small smile, her anger releasing from her body. It remained only as a glimmer in her sapphire eyes. Kurama knew, however, that particular anger was a permanent one. That anger had been placed there many years ago.

An hour had passed, but there was no sign of Hiei. At least, not in the living room. His energy could be felt from upstairs in his room. Kurama sighed. At least his migraine had passed. He glanced across the coffee where Yusuke and Kuwabara sat. They had finally gotten enough courage to sit in close proximity to Kira. He didn't know what she did that had freaked them out so much and he wasn't sure he wanted to.

"I suppose I'll go see if I can get him down here." Kurama got up and headed up the stairs. Kira watched him go, but was soon distracted by Yusuke clearing his throat.

"So, uh, Kira, right?"

She stared blankly at the black haired boy. Without speaking, she slowly blinked once at him.

"Yeah," said Yusuke, uncomfortably, "Anyway, why do they call you the Shadow Thief?"

Kira continued to stare at him blandly, looking almost bored, before shifting her gaze back to the stairs expectantly.

"Well, this isn't awkward at all."

Hiei wasn't sure how exactly he'd let Kurama convince him to join everyone downstairs, but here he was, following him down the stairs.

As he touched down on the landing, Hiei's gaze met Kira's and he froze, just for a second, as what felt like a charge of electricity passed between them and coursed through his body. Every part of his body, especially _there._ Just as quickly as it had come, it passed, but it left behind a lasting effect. In his groin. It only intensified as he realized that Kira's sapphire gaze was still locked on his.

 _What the_ fuck _is this feeling? What was that electricity?_

With great effort, Hiei forced himself to look away from the woman ahead of him and instead turned a glare on Yusuke as he approached the sitting area.

"I see you're still in a foul mood," grumbled Yusuke.

Before Hiei could snap back, Kira interrupted, "Shut up, you idiot. Now that we're all here, I'd like to go over my strategy for this infiltration. It's going to be quite the intricate scheme." She let loose a wide smirk, revealing one sharp fang.

 **A/N:**

 **The tone of this story is going to change ever so slightly. In fact, you'll be seeing a lot of differences in my writing as I try harder than I've ever done before to keep Hiei in character. And the others, too, of course. Since I am only human, and I can only guess at some of the more extreme reaches of Hiei's personalities, I am bound to make some mistakes.**

 **Anyway, this was just a taste of what is yet to come and I hope you enjoyed it!**

 **I love all my readers equally! Please review, as always!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"The men listened intently as Kira explained her plan, "The demon believed to be in possession of a shard of The Six is a duke with quite a reputation for being infatuated with ancient artifacts. The second most well-known fact about him is his obsession with beautiful women."

Kurama's eyes glinted, "I suppose that's where you come in?

She pursed her lips, "Yes, and I've got a mansion already set up as a front along with a fake identity as an heiress."

Kuwabara gaped at her, "So, you're, like, gonna kiss him and stuff?"

Kira grimaced, whether it was from the thought of kissing the duke or just the mere sound of the moron's voice, Hiei wasn't sure, "Hopefully, it won't come to that, but if it becomes necessary, then whatever it takes to get the job done." Hiei stared at her, a bit shocked. He had to give her determination and commitment some credit. It was rather impressive. He started when she suddenly pointed to him. "You are to pose as my bodyguard." She smirked, "With your history of working with Mukuro, it won't be too much of a stretch that you've taken a temporary job as muscle for hire." She paused a moment, staring intently at the bandanna on his forehead as though she could see through it to the Jagan, "I will need you to use your Jagan to find the piece of The Six and to monitor the guards' shifts." Her eyes glittered as Hiei started to speak. He felt rather indignant that his Jagan seemed to be all he was good for in this mission. "Unless, of course," she interjected, "You don't think you could handle that?"

Hiei couldn't believe it. This woman was punching his ego in the gut, molding him to her plan like soft putty. She knew that, with just that one question, he had no choice but to comply. He didn't know whether to hate her or admire her for it. Kira was quite the cunning fox. Just like her cousin. He smirked and folded his arms across his chest, "If that's all you think I can handle, then you need to get your information up to date."

Kira barked out a short laugh, "I think I like you. We might just get along." Hiei stared at her, dumbfounded. If he didn't know better, he'd say she was mocking him, but her eyes were unreadable, so he couldn't be sure. With a smirk, she continued, "Don't worry, you'll be more involved that that, but we'll get into that later." The humor slipped from her features as she turned to Kurama, "I would like to get together later and put together some plants that I can use."

Kurama smiled, "Of course. What's mine is yours."

Kira smirked, "As amicable as always, I see. I've never been able to decide if I love that about you, or hate it."

Kurama chuckled at that, "At least it hasn't seemed to affect your overall opinion of me."

"Not at all." Kira pulled out a rolled piece of parchment and spread it out on the table in front of them. Hiei listened raptly as she explained that it was a map of the mansion they were to infiltrate. Hiei was amazed by the authority and confidence in which she spoke with. The longer she went on explaining, the more he realized she spoke most directly to himself and Kurama. In fact, she seemed to be completely ignoring Yusuke and Kuwabara altogether. A quick glance told Hiei that they had noticed, too. This new development amused him greatly as the ex-detective's irritation grew steadily greater.

"Hey," Yusuke interrupted Kira mid-sentence. Slowly, she turned to him with an eyebrow raised in mild annoyance. Hiei glanced at Kurama who was eyeing his cousin warily. Yusuke went on, "I couldn't help but notice that you've been going on for a while, but you've yet to mention how Kuwabara and me fit into this plan of yours."

Kira narrowed her eyes, "That's because you _don't_ fit."

Kuwabara's mouth dropped open, "What! So, we've just been here for nothin'? What the heck!"

"You better not be wasting out time." Yusuke bit out.

Kira scoffed, "Wasting _your_ time? I don't need a couple of bumbling, loud-mouthed _idiots_ blowing my cover and ruining everything. Or did you forget that every demon knows your face and even the _slightest_ whiff of your ass will send them all running? You're here because I _might_ have a use for you at some point and if you already know what's going on, I don't have to explain it later." Yusuke and Kuwabara stared at her, mouths open in disbelief, not really sure how to respond. They'd been insulted, but she had also had a point. Her ears flattened on her skull and she bared her canines at them, "Got it?" she snapped.

The two boys gulped and pressed themselves into the back of the couch and away from her. "Got it." They said simultaneously. Hiei heard Kurama sigh in relief as Kira leaned back over the map, her ears returning to a relaxed state. He wondered what Kurama had feared from his cousin. It had taken every ounce of his self control not to laugh when she'd called them idiots. He was glad that someone else had noticed it, too. He internally shook his head and refocused on Kira's plan. This woman was going to prove to be quite interesting. She'd already proved her competence and intelligence in one night.

He watched her tail flick back and forth and felt a smirk playing at his lips. What else did she have in store for them?

Most of the night had passed by tht time Kira dismissed them all and they dispersed for bed. Even so, dawn had barely risen and he was wide awake. _It_ had forced him awake and Hiei was frustrated more than ever by it. Not only had it never been the cause for him to be awake before, but he also wasn't exactly thrilled to try and relieve it after his miserable attempt the other day.

He adjusted himself so that he was half leaning against the wall and yanked the sheet off, feeling hot and uncomfortable. Hiei imagined that it had everything to do with the full on erection that he had. He wondered if it had anything to do with that dream... soft skin, ebony hair, and a silky tail that wrapped around a pair of thighs...

The resulting throb was all he needed as confirmation. He clicked his tongue against his teeth. He'd actually had a _sex_ dream and his body was reacting to it. How ridiculous. Even more ridiculous was the discomfort he was in because of it. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes with a sigh.

 _You're not going to get anywhere by just sitting there._

Hiei's eyes flew open at the sound of a woman's voice in his head. "Kira?" he asked out loud. It was her voice, of course. How could he not recognize it after listening to it half the night?

He heard her huff in his mind, _If you're not going to do anything, could you at least_ try _to control your pheromones? I'm going crazy over here._ Hiei blinked a couple times, not sure how to respond to her. He stared at the opposite wall, trying to come up with a response.

Something occurred to him, "Why would _you_ be going crazy over my... bodily function? It's not affecting you, why do you care?"

 _Seriously? I realize you are inexperienced with women, but you should at least understand the basics._

Hiei met her with silence, actually feeling embarrassed that he didn't know what she meant. It was quiet for such a long time that Hiei thought she was finally leaving him alone. He looked down at himself with a frown as it throbbed painfully, again. This thing was more trouble than it was worth. Too bad he needed it to piss. "Hmph," he said to himself and he moved to put his hand around himself. One more try couldn't hurt. Or it could...

Suddenly, his bedroom door flew open and Kira was standing there. The sheet was over his lap in a _nano-second_ and Hiei felt his face heat as she closed the door behind her. Despite himself, he hoped she hadn't seen anything.

When she turned back to him, she looked about to say something, but froze as her gaze settled on him. A lustful grin spread slowly across her lips, "That's a good look for you." She chuckled as Hiei's eyes narrowed at her.

"Did you come in here for something? You weren't exactly invited." He bit out. The grin slipped from her face, but the heat stayed in her eyes as they seemed to gaze into his very soul. He shivered involuntarily.

"Do you know what happens between a male and a female?" she asked quietly.

Hiei scoffed, "I know what sex is and how it works."

Kira's lip twitched, "I'm sure you do, but what I meant was the chemistry that leads up to sex."

His eyes narrowed, "Chemistry."

"Yes, chemistry. Have you ever been around a woman while you were in heat and, no matter how much you resisted, you were drawn to her? The only thing you could smell, see, or hear was her?"

"I've never been around women during that time. I never desired finding a mate."

Her mouth fell open in shock, "You..." she quickly regained her composure and cleared her throat, "Well, anyway, males go through being in heat once a year, but females only go through it once every ten years. Whether one is desired or not, our bodies put out a heightened level of pheromones necessary to attract a mate. The same pheromone as the one we produce shortly before, during, and even after sex."

Hiei blinked at her, "I fail to see your point."

Kira huffed, rolling her eyes and placing a hand on her hip. Her tail twitched behind her, "You know, you males are lucky. Sure, you go through being in heat every year, but one month of half-crazed senses and you're done. It's not so easy on us females. Our senses start to heighten well before we actually go into heat. The desire we experience is so painful that, unless we have someone to relieve us, the whole month is torture. The effects even linger for some time afterwards. It may be once every ten years, but it's nearly hell."

She paused, her heat-filled eyes staring him down, "You said that you weren't affecting me. I'm telling you that you're _wrong_."

Hiei's eyes widened as it all started to sink in and it clicked. _She's about to go into heat._ His body unwillingly responded to the thought. She closed her eyes, breathing in deep, and swayed slightly. When she opened them, the sapphire color of them shone with lust as though they were made of the gem they so resembled. "I have an idea, Hiei." Like a predator stalking its prey, Kira approached his bed and leaned down, pressing her hands into the mattress.

It was then that he noticed what she was wearing. Which was hardly anything, if you counted the tight red night dress as something. It left little to the imagination, barely covering her breasts and perhaps reaching mid-thigh. Hiei swallowed hard as she leaned over and brought up a leg to climb up onto the bed. The edge of her dress hiked up higher and her tail came around to wrap around her thigh. Just like in his... _dream_. He tried to swallow again, but his mouth had gone dry. He knew he was in trouble because all he could think about was that damn dream and he knew his stupid body was responding to his thoughts.

Kira paused in her advancement, seeming to relish his scent.

"What's your idea, Kira?" he asked, which snapped her out of it.

That slow lustful smile from before returned to her lips, "I think we should form a kind of... symbiotic relationship." She began crawling over the mattress towards him, her hands placed on the outside of his legs.

"Symbiotic... relationship?" he knew what that was, but he was finding it harder to concentrate now that her hands were on either side of his hips and was straddling one of his legs. Their skin didn't touch, but the heat that passed between their bodies was impossible to miss. Their eyes locked together as Kira continued to crawl closer. Hiei tried to back up, but his back was already against the wall. For all the good it did him, he could only sit up straighter. There was no escape for him as Kira's face came up to his.

"Yes," she said huskily, "Like the crocodile and the plover. The little bird hops into the crocodile's mouth and gets a free meal while the crocodile gets it's teeth cleaned. A _beneficial_ relationship for both sides." She lifted a hand to his face and he flinched ever so slightly. No one had ever touched him like this before. The sensation was completely foreign.

"And which of us is the crocodile?" Hiei asked as her hand trailed down his chest to his abdomen.

She let out a soft laugh, her canines peeking out over her bottom lip, "I wonder...?" He snatched her hand before it could go any further south and narrowed his eyes.

"Get out." He growled. He wasn't sure he liked what she was implying. He also wasn't interested in becoming a slave to his own body's useless desires.

Kira heaved a heavy sigh, "That's too bad. I'd really hoped we could have helped each other." In one fluid motion, she was off of him and headed for the door. Halfway there, she turned back and shrugged, giving him a mischievous grin, "Oh, well. Your loss." Kira's gaze traveled over his body, her eyes widening slightly, "Or maybe I should say it's _my_ loss?" She giggled slightly, "You're rather... _gifted_ , Hiei."

Hiei's gaze followed hers to find that, at some point, the sheet had shifted off of his body, fully exposing his still erect member. He growled in embarrassment and quickly covered himself back up. He glowered at her and she winked before turning back to the door. Suddenly, he could smell something fill the room. _No,_ he could smell _her._ Whatever hold she'd had on her pheromones had been released. Purposefully, he was sure.

"My control is only going to get weaker and the scent is only going to get stronger as I get closer to being in heat. How long do you think you can hold out? Especially when we're going to be working so closely together and you have no way to find a release. You can run away, but I'll still be here when you get back." Her words had merit. If he was already reacting this strongly to her, how much worse would it get? They had a job to do, so she was right again. Running away wasn't an option. A temporary solution to an ongoing problem. It wouldn't work.

He almost hated himself for stopping her, "Wait."

Kira's hand froze on the doorknob. She glanced back expectantly. He grimaced. He'd played right into her hands and he didn't see any way out. Not yet, any way. "What did you have in mind?"

She grinned lazily, "I'll help you learn how to pleasure yourself and, in the process, help me vent my frustrations."

Hiei raised an eyebrow at her, "That's it? No sex?"

"That's it. No sex. Oh, and I do have one other condition."

"What's that?"

"Absolutely no falling in love."

He chuckled, "I don't think that will be a problem with me. Love and I are total strangers."

She grinned and came back to the side of the bed closest to him, "Good. Are we in agreement, then?" She held out a hand for him to shake.

"I don't seem to have a better option at this time." He took her hand and shook.

"Alright," grinning widely, she kept hold of his hand and turned it downwards, "Now take hold right here, like this..."

 **A/N:**

 **Well, well! What a development! A lemon scented ending...hehe. Look out for the next chapter as things are about to really heat up! Lots of lemony stuff and also adventure, too, as Kira and Hiei attempt to locate that lost artifact. Stay tuned!**

 **Please review~**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Hiei couldn't look away as he watched Kira guide his hand to his swollen member and applied a light pressure. He felt it _jump_ at the sudden contact and his breath hitched unexpectedly. This felt a bit different than before, for some reason. Was it because of _her_? His eyes flickered to her face and got caught there.

Kira, unlike him, had not been watching their hands. Her sapphire eyes were locked on his face. When his eyes met hers, she gave a soft smile and began moving his hand up his shaft. Slowly, she guided him back down and he saw stars. In a _good_ way. Hiei's gaze dropped back down to their hands as the motion was repeated again and again. Her soft voice reached his ears, sounding far away.

"Once you get used to this, you can experiment more to figure out what you like best. Whether by using a firmer grip or going faster or slower…" She trailed off, most likely distracted by the low growl that had just come from Hiei's throat. He felt his face flush. He hadn't meant to do it, but he couldn't help it. This felt way too good. Better than he ever imagined it would. There was a delicious pressure building in his groin and he felt that, at any moment, he would explode. Would he explode?

"How long do we do this?" he asked between breaths as his breathing labored.

"Until you're done," she replied quietly.

His breath hitched again, "How do I know that I'm done?"

She chuckled lightly, "You'll know." Hiei's hips moved involuntarily as the mounting pressure continued to build. He closed his eyes and his head tipped back as a low, guttural moan ripped from his mouth. He brought an arm over his face, rather embarrassed by the sound he'd just made. When had he ever not had control over his own voice?

He felt Kira's light touch on his arm, lowering it from his face, "It's okay," she said, "Moaning is perfectly normal. In fact, it's kind of a turn on." She smirked and Hiei's nostrils were suddenly filled with her scent. It drove him wild until he could no longer stand the pressure. A light sweat covered his body and he could hear his blood rushing in his ears.

"Relax. Don't hold back, just let go," she coaxed.

He barely heard her voice, but he did as she said, forcing himself to relax, to let –

A warm white liquid shot from his member, covering his abdomen, and his body jerked from the force of the release. Another moan exited his mouth as he was relieved of the pressure. _That felt good._

"Oh, Hiei," Kira whispered in awe. His ruby eyes met hers and they were filled with a foreign dark emotion.

"You stopped," he growled.

"What?" her eyes widened marginally.

"You said I would know when I was done," he breathed heavily, " _I'm not done_." Her mouth fell open and her eyes darkened further with lust and Hiei was again assaulted by her pheromones. His head fell back with a groan as his still swollen member throbbed, hot and slick with his own fluid. When her hand encompassed his again, he looked down and saw that his fluid covered her hand, as well. He suddenly noticed another scent in the room, thick and heady. He realized that it was his own. He didn't have to wonder what effect it was having on Kira, if her face was any kind of indicator.

On some kind of bizarre whim, he took his hand out from under hers and lightly squeezed her hand back around his member. He much preferred her smooth skin to the roughness of his own. Hiei smirked up at her and she cocked an eyebrow at him. "Just you."

Surprised as she was, Kira wasted no time taking the lead. Her hand slid up and down and, when she reached the top, she would rub her thumb over the tip. This created an all new sensation for him and he relished it.

It didn't take as long for the pressure to build and release again. This time, the warm liquid reached his chest and another loud moan left him on its exit. His hips gyrated, still not feeling _quite_ satisfied.

His eyes met hers again, both of them breathing heavily. The sapphire in her eyes glinted with delight, "Again?" she asked.

A slow grin spread across Hiei's face and the rest of Kira's face lit up. She started again, earning a low growl from deep in his chest. "Faster." And she obliged.

His fists clenched the sheets at his sides, the pressure building in his groin greater than before. He wanted to hold onto this feeling of pleasure, never having felt anything like it before. He reached his limit, however, and his hips bucked upwards from the force of the release and his moan came out as a shout from deep in his throat.

Hiei fell back on the bed, his breath coming in short gasps. Kira had collapsed onto the floor, trying to control her own tremors of excitement. He looked over at her and had the sudden impulse to cover her body with his own, but he was utterly spent. He shook his head, surprised by his own thoughts.

"Hey," Kira looked up at the sound of his voice. The sun had fully risen by now and the rays that peeked through the curtains fell over her body. Hiei stared, unable to say anything more. The effect made her look almost unreal. As she sat up, their eyes connected and he could see dark clouds of emotion within hers. He briefly wondered what kind of past she was holding onto and if it was anything like his.

She gave him a weak smile, "I'm fine." Shivers racked her body, "I'll go get dressed. Everyone else should be up by now and it wouldn't be a good idea to go downstairs together." She raised an eyebrow at his confused look, "Unless you _want_ everyone to know that we spent the morning together?"

Hiei's eyes widened marginally as he considered this. The last thing he needed was Yusuke and that moron bothering him about something that was none of their business. Not that he cared what they thought, anyway. Kira had proved her intelligence and cunning already and her looks were nothing to sneeze at. If he were to ever look for a mate, Kira could easily fall into his standards. He frowned. _What_ was he thinking? He'd never even _considered_ standards for a mate, before. He shoved the thoughts from his mind.

"Hn. Let them think what they want. I don't really care." He watched her rise to her feet from the corner of his eye.

She let out a sigh, "Personally, I'd rather not be bothered by them. I have more important things to focus on than listen to them chatter on about it. It's none of their business, anyway, and I'm a rather private person." She shot him a devilish grin.

Hiei smirked back, "Heh, fine. Have it your way." He sat up, finally catching his breath, and crossed the room to the bathroom where a much needed shower awaited him. He was fully aware of Kira's eyes following his naked form. He glanced back from the bathroom door, "How does that human saying go? Take a picture, it'll last longer?"

She returned his smirk and tapped her temple with one finger, "Already have." And with a wink, she left his room. He shook his head, mildly amused by the ebony fox's mannerisms. He vaguely wondered what else she had planned for him and what it would be like working with her going forward. All thoughts left him, however, as he stepped under the hot spray of the shower.

Kurama stared at the frying pan in front of him, watching the bacon slowly come to a crisp. His brow furrowed and his mouth set into a hard line.

Hiei and Kira's energies had been both oddly missing when he'd woken up this morning, and yet, here Kira was, sipping on a hot cup of tea. Hiei's signature had reappeared a few moments ago, shortly before Kira's appearance in the kitchen. It had also been oddly silent, as well. The only sounds had been of Kuwabara's snoring and Yusuke's loud sleep breathing.

His cousin had a wide array of abilities. Sealing off a room from the rest of the house so that anything going on inside went unnoticed would be effortless for her. As much as she tried to control it, Kurama could still smell the pheromones coming off of her body. She was nearing heat and she was also aware of Hiei's so-called predicament. Would she dare take advantage of such a small vulnerability in Hiei? No, she had more pride than that. Not to mention Hiei was smart enough not to let anyone take advantage of him, even if he didn't see himself as having a vulnerability such as his own inexperience.

Kurama took the bacon out of the pan and placed them on top of paper towels to catch the excess grease. Stealing a glance at Kira as he brought the food to the table, he knew that she would ultimately leave the decision to Hiei. She was much like himself, however, in that she knew exactly what to say to get anyone to agree to what she wanted without leaving any loopholes. She was even, perhaps, more merciless than he was when it came to persuasion.

Kira raised an eyebrow at him over her cup, "Something on your mind?" Ever the perceptive woman. Always had been, even at a young age. Often, she was referred to as quite astute, and for good reason, making her quite dangerous. Kurama took his seat across the table from her, but stayed silent as he thought how best to broach the subject.

As the silence stretched on, she gently placed her cup on the table and ran a finger over its lip. She stared thoughtfully into the cooling liquid before lifting her gaze to his, "If you're concerned for your friend, don't be." She took a drink.

Kurama's frown deepened, "Don't forget that I know what kind of woman you are, Kira. Factor in the point that you're going into heat soon and you may not always be in total control. There will be times when your instincts will simply take over."

Kira's eyes flashed with irritation, "I haven't forgotten anything and I'm well aware of how my body reacts to its own hormones. I know what precautions to take concerning that."

"Oh? And what precautions did you take this morning?"

A low growl issued from her throat, "I didn't have sex with him, if that's what you mean."

Kurama's eyes narrowed, "And what happens when Hiei can't control his own instincts? What then?" At that moment, Kuwabara and Yusuke entered the kitchen. They seemed to be arguing about something related to a famous martial artist and didn't notice the heavy tension between the two foxes.

Kira rose from the table, leaving her empty cup, "If you'll excuse me, I have some errands to run." Yusuke and Kuwabara ceased their chatter and watched her leave.

"Hey, uh, is she okay?" Kuwabara asked.

"Yeah," Yusuke agreed, "She seemed kinda upset about something."

Kurama let go of the breath he'd been holding. It had been a close call. If they had not entered the kitchen when they did, there could have very easily have been a fight. And he would have been the one skinned alive. Blood was not thicker than water when it came to Kira, and, as close as they were, he had no doubt she would not hesitate to kill him if he pushed her too far. And he had pushed her today.

"Yo, earth to fox-boy. Everything okay?" Yusuke was waving his hands in the air trying to get Kurama's attention.

"Sorry," he gave them a sheepish grin, "Just lost in thought, I suppose. Yes, Kira's more or less fine. She'll be back later."

"More or less? What's that supposed to mean?" Kuwabara asked.

"I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to say, but I'm sure our… _slight_ disagreement did nothing to better her mood." Kurama stood, grabbing his breakfast, "I think I'll take this outside and get some fresh air. Better enjoy life while I still have one." He chuckled and headed out the back door. The other two boys watched him go, wide-eyed.

"I wonder what they argued about?" Yusuke pondered out loud, grabbing a slice of toast and taking a bite.

"Dunno. Ya think she'd really kill him over it? I mean, they're family, right?" Kuwabara scooped some eggs onto a plate.

"Nah, I don't think so," Yusuke paused as they both took a seat at the table, "They _are_ demons, though. Who knows how they really settle family disputes."

"Usually in blood."

The two boys jumped, startled by the sudden appearance of the fire apparition. "Hey, Hiei," Yusuke greeted him, "Whaddya mean by blood?"

Hiei poured himself a cup of tea and lifted an eyebrow at the ex-detective, "I mean exactly what I said. I take it Kurama's outside?" His face paling, Yusuke nodded and Hiei disappeared outside with his cup in hand.

As he approached the red-haired fox, Hiei could tell he hadn't touched his food and seemed genuinely perturbed. He sighed once he was level with Kurama, "I take it you know?"

Kurama glanced up briefly from his seat on the edge of the brick well he'd set up in his lavish garden. After a moment, he finally replied, "I only know implications, not any solid facts."

"But you're worried." A statement, not a question. "Don't be worried. I'll be fine, no matter the outcome."

Kurama's eyes snapped up to meet Hiei's, "How did you -?"

Hiei grinned, "We've been friends a long time, Kurama. If I didn't know you this well by now, then I'd be blind _and_ stupid." Kurama was surprised. Hiei was actually admitting the two of them were friends. Directly.

He returned Hiei's smile slightly, "If you know me that well, then you should also know I'll need more than a simple 'I'll be fine' to calm my mind."

Hiei nodded, a somber look returning to his face, "I'll admit that, this morning, I acted mostly in the heat of the moment," he paused, "However, since then, I've had plenty of time to consider the type of relationship would be most desirable with Kira."

Kurama was pleasantly surprised. He had feared that Hiei would go along with Kira's whims without much thought to the consequences. "What did you decide?"

Hiei sipped at his tea, seeming to enjoy the flavor, "I'm going to go along with our arrangement, for now. If it turns out to be something I don't want, I'll simply walk away."

Kurama's brow furrowed, "That's a good plan, but be sure you don't get in too deep or you may find that you can't walk away so easily. Also, make sure that _she_ knows what you're planning. Kira's not very keen on surprises."

Hiei looked at him from the corner of his eyes, quirking an eyebrow at him, "How close was it to blood spilling in that kitchen?"

Kurama chuckled, "You sensed that, huh? Guess it doesn't really surprise me." He paused a moment, "I'm afraid that I might have placed a wedge between us."

"Over little ol' me?" Hiei chuckled, "I doubt that. I bet if you apologized, she'd forgive you in a heartbeat. Kira treasures you, even I can see that."

Kurama closed his eyes, smiling softly, "I hope you're right about that." When he opened his eyes, the fire demon was gone, leaving his empty tea cup on the ledge of the well. What was it with those two and leaving behind their empty cups?

Kurama sighed. He really did hope that Hiei was right, but Hiei had no idea how similar Kira was to him when it came to family.

When Kira finally returned, she was not alone. Two men followed her into the house; one was tall and bulky and the other was short and lean. Neither lacked in muscle and both had sharp eyes. Their body language spoke volumes to the respect they held for her. She was obviously the one in charge and she wore her authority with confidence.

It was late afternoon and Kurama and Hiei were sitting in the living room when Kira and her entourage entered the house. Kurama looked up from his book as they approached whereas Hiei remained in the window seat, not even acknowledging their presence.

"You've brought some guests, I see." Kurama gave her a hesitant smile, testing the waters. Her eyes darkened as they rested on his face, no trace of returning the smile in her features. So, she was still mad at him. He would have to apologize later. If she would let him.

"Where are the other two?" she asked.

"I believe they're in the kitchen, finishing up their dinner." Kurama answered. She was all business, which meant to Kurama that the men with her were part of her plans.

"Yusuke! Kuwabara! Get out here, there's work to do." Kira called for them.

After a moment, the boys came around the corner, grumbling along. "I don't know why you call it work. It's not like we're actually doin' anything," complained Kuwabara.

"You're tellin' me! I could be on my way to a date with Keiko right now." Yusuke nearly whined.

Kira glared at the pair, "Shut up and take a seat," she motioned to the love seat that was positioned across from the couch where Kurama sat, "I already told you it was important that you be here for these meetings." The boys begrudgingly complied and Kira took a seat in the armchair that faced both couches. Crossing her legs, the two men remained standing on either side of her, giving her an air that very much read 'mob boss'. "Hiei, are you listening?"

"Hn." Came the short reply.

"Good enough. I'd like to introduce to you my colleagues, Recon and Spook. I've worked with them for a very long time on various types of jobs and they'll be assisting with this mission. Recon," she gestured to the shorter man on her right, "deals in surveillance. Hiei, once we are inside the duke's mansion, it will be out responsibility to plant cameras for him. He will record and gather information when we cannot." She paused a moment as Hiei decided to move from the window and take a seat next to Kurama on the couch. Kira gave him the slightest of smiles before continuing.

"Spook," she jerked her thumb at the bigger guy on her left, "will be our mole. He'll be disguising himself as one of the duke's guards and infiltrate directly. He has abilities that allow him to discover any secrets that place may hold, whether by coming in direct contact or by wheedling it out of another guard, completely undetected. His job occurs, as well, when Hiei and I are unable to discover information on our own. Any questions?"

"I have one," Kuwabara raised his hand tentatively, "Are those really your names?"

Recon snickered and Spook smirked as Kira made an annoyed sound, "Those are their names as far as _you're_ concerned and you will address them as such. These two are professionals, the best at what they do. If they weren't, you'd see someone else standing here. Make sure you stay out of their way."

Recon and Spook stared at Kira with wide eyes, surprise written all over them. Without even looking at them, she smirked, "Stop looking at me like that. You know it's true." A light blush crossed their faces.

"Yeah, but you've never actually said it before." Spook said quietly.

"I didn't think I had to." Kira raised an eyebrow at him.

Recon grinned, "You don't. It's just nice to hear."

Kira gave this some thought before replying, "I see. I'll try to be more forward in the future."

"Please don't," Spook said, "We might start to get soft." Recon nodded his agreement.

"Very well. In that case, consider this meeting over for now. I'll brief you on the more in-depth details later. For now, there are spare bedrooms downstairs if you'd like to crash for the night. Tomorrow, we move to the mansion."

Kurama stood from the couch, "Kira, may I have a word with you outside? Please?"

Kira stiffened ever so slightly, as did Recon and Spook in response. "Very well." Hiei watched the two of them disappear towards the back of the house before turning his attention back to the two men Kira had brought into their circle. The way they behaved towards her did not go unnoticed by him. It was clear that they had worked together for a very long time. Their relationship may have been of a professional nature, but there was an obvious bond that had formed between them. Spook and Recon clearly worshipped the ground Kira walked on. Whether it was on a physical level or a result of the reverence they held for her, he didn't know.

Once they were sure it was safe, Yusuke and Kuwabara ran for the front door. Hiei paid them no mind, still focused on Kira's comrades. Spook caught him staring, "You got something to say, punk?"

Recon whipped his attention to them, "Take it easy, Spook. We have to work with him and I'd rather there not be any bad blood before we even get started."

"Tch. Whatever," Spook snarled, "This guy probably doesn't even know what he's doing." Hiei stood, he'd heard enough.

Recon looked at his comrade in surprise, "Don't you know who he is? You didn't read the packet Kira gave us, again, did you?"

Hiei met Recon's apologetic look, "It doesn't matter. He's probably the type who doesn't believe something until he sees it for himself," he cast a meaningful glance at Spook, "Right?"

Spook's eyebrows rose, "Yeah, that's right."

"Hn, too bad I don't feel like I have anything to prove to the likes of _you._ " Stuffing his hands in his pockets, Hiei headed for the stairs.

"Hiei," Recon called after him and he paused, "Take care of our Kira, yeah?"

Hiei continued up the stairs without answering and entered his room.

Kurama watched his cousin as she picked a rose from his garden, ignoring the bite of the thorns, and leaned over the edge of the well. He had taken a small risk bringing her out here to talk. While they were surrounded by hundreds of plants, any of which he could manipulate into a deadly weapon, out here, he was no match for Kira. Darkness was her ally and no amount of plants could protect him from the night air that surrounded them. He shot a wary glance at the shadows cast by the moon, but they remained unmoving.

When Kira turned to him, he met her sapphire gaze, "What did you want to discuss, Kurama? Perhaps about how I was going to rip out your friend's heart and eat it while it was still beating? Or how about –"

"Kira, stop," he interrupted her, "I asked you out here because I want to say I'm sorry." Her eyes widened in surprise, "I know, it's unlike me to apologize, but I just didn't feel right leaving things the way they were between us."

Kira smirked as she plucked a few petals from the rose, "Are you sure you weren't just afraid I might kill you?"

Kurama chuckled, "I'll admit, the thought crossed my mind, but that's not why. I truly feel that I crossed a line getting too caught up in my concern for my friend. You're my cousin, Kira, but you know I've always loved you like a sister. I should put you first in all things. I didn't do that this morning and, for that, I am truly sorry." He watched her shoulders relax as she smiled and closed her eyes, bringing the rose to her face and inhaling deeply.

Opening her eyes, she met his stare, "You always were one for the theatrics," she laughed lightly and placed the rose gently on the lip of the well before crossing the distance between them. She kissed his cheek, "I love you, too, Kurama. I'm in no hurry to rid myself of the only family I have. I'm sorry for ever making you think otherwise." She held his emerald gaze, a deep sadness echoing in her eyes. Kurama reached out and hugged her, feeling it was what she needed at the moment. He needed it, for sure. After a heartbeat, she returned his embrace, but quickly withdrew.

"Goodnight, Kurama."

"Goodnight, Kira." His heart broke for her as he watched her go back in the house. She would be furious if she ever found out.

Hiei leaned his arm above his head on the window frame, staring out into the darkness. He was deciding on whether to go for a run and cool his head when his door opened. He knew who it was without having to turn around. There was only one person who'd ever entered his room without knocking first.

"Go away. I'm not in the mood."

He heard her soft laugh and a light thud as she plopped onto his bed, "Don't worry, I'm not here for that." When he didn't turn around, she went on, "What did you say to Kurama this morning?"

Keeping his arm braced on the window, he glanced back at her. She was on her stomach, cradling a pillow under her head as she watched him. "I don't know what you mean." He turned back to the window, "I didn't say anything special."

Kira huffed, "Well, _something_ you said really got to him. He's _never_ apologized like that to me before. I don't think he's ever even expressed his feelings to me, either. Not that he ever needed to." Hiei shrugged and remained quiet, not sure what it could have been. After a moment of silence, he heard her shift on the bed. "What's on your mind, Hiei? You're always so quiet, but I can see the cogs turning constantly in your head. You're hyper alert at all times."

Hiei shook his head with a smirk, "Heh, so are you, apparently."

She chuckled, "Busted."

Hiei inhaled deeply, taking in her scent inadvertently. It was a nice smell. Clean and slightly sweet. He detected the scent of the garden where she must have been talking with Kurama. Mixed in with it all was the barest trace of what must have been her pheromones, as it stirred something deep inside him, and also… blood? It wasn't very strong, so there must not have been a lot of it. Finally, he turned to her and approached the bed, "Did you get hurt somehow? I can smell blood."

Kira's eyes widened as Hiei sat on the opposite edge of the bed. She'd never thought that Hiei would ever express concern for anyone, let alone for her. They didn't know each other, after all. Well, not really. She gave him a small smile and held out her hand, palm up, "I picked a rose and decided to ignore the thorns." Hiei frowned at the small cuts that covered her hand. They had closed up already, except one at the tip of her finger that had opened back up and was now lightly bleeding.

Without really considering his own actions, he took hold of her hand and leaned down to suck the blood clean from her finger. When he rose, Kira was gaping at him, a light blush gracing her cheeks. Avoiding his own embarrassment, he ignored it, "Those men you brought here, Recon and Spook," he paused briefly, bringing his feet on the bed so that he could comfortably lean against the wall, "You're close to them." Something mischievous glinted in her eyes.

"Yes, well, we have been working together for well over a century." Kira sat up so that she was leaning on the wall with him, "What about it?"

Hiei shrugged, not really sure what he was getting at by mentioning it, "Nothing. Just an observation."

She gently nudged his arm with her shoulder, "Jealous?"

His head whipped around to face her, hardly believing his ears, but she was grinning madly at him. _She was messing with him!_ He frowned, "Don't be ridiculous."

She laughed and leaned her head on his shoulder, "Would it be so bad if you were?" Humor echoed in her voice, so he ignored the question. "Would you like to hear about some of the jobs I've pulled? Maybe I'll even tell you why I'm known as the Shadow Thief…"

Now _that_ interested him, "You have my attention, now. Do go on."

Kira laughed softly and started in on the first story of what would be many that night. Hiei didn't know how late it was before he passed out. He didn't even know that he had until he woke up the next morning. How had he become so comfortable around her so easily?

 **A/N:**

 **I hope you enjoyed this one! Please review! Much love to all my readers~ See ya next time!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own YYH or the characters within. I only own my OC's.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Hiei woke the next morning to the early morning sun filtering through the bedroom curtains. He'd fallen asleep sitting up and his neck had become a bit sore. He would have to do some exercises to stretch it out. He moved to stand up, but a weight in his lap prevented him from doing so. Looking down, he realized Kira had fallen asleep next to him and, whether by design or by accident, had ended up with her head in his lap.

He froze, not daring to touch her and risk waking her. Slowly, he settled back on the bed and watched her as she slept on. She seemed so peaceful and child-like in her sleep. Once of her ears twitched and he smirked in amusement. This woman… was incredible. He thought back to all the stories she'd told last night, sure that she hadn't even told half of them. She'd been funny and interesting, actually making him, of all people, laugh. Not that he was devoid of a sense of humor. On the contrary, he had a great sense of humor. There was just little that he found actually worthy of laughing at.

Hiei held his breath as a thought occurred to him. He might actually _like_ her. Not just tolerate her, as he usually did with Yusuke, but really _like_ her. Just as he liked Kurama because Kurama wasn't a fool and could hold a decent conversation. He'd never like a woman before. He didn't exactly have a good history with them.

The only women he'd encountered in the past few years were annoying and weak. The only exceptions, of course, were Mukuro and Yukina. Mukuro wasn't weak, but she could be annoying at times. Plus, he didn't really see her as a woman. As for Yukina, well… she'd always been special to him. He didn't see her as annoying and he definitely didn't think she was weak. Yukina had shown an amazing amount of strength during her captivity under Tarukane. He would always admire her for that.

Hiei released his breath, unable to hold it any longer, causing Kura's short hair to puff forward slightly. When he inhaled, he caught her scent again. That clean and sweet combination was a good one. His brow furrowed as he moved her hair out of her face. He couldn't seem to place why the sweetness of her scent was so familiar. Then he caught that _other_ scent. The easily addictive scent of her pheromones washed over him, a mixture of sweet spices and cream.

He hadn't woken up with an erection, but he had one now. Doing his best not to wake her, he tried to discreetly readjust himself so that he could sit more comfortably. As soon as he moved, though, she began to stir. Kira sat up, observed where she'd been sleeping, then moved her head to the pillow next to him. He barely heard her mumbling, "Lap… sorry…" before she was passed out again. Hiei stared at her with an amused grin. Had she just tried to apologize for sleeping in his lap?

Shaking his head at her, he settled himself down on the bed. His workout could wait another hour. He was still a bit tired and maybe his erection would go away while he dozed. He rolled over on his side, turning away from Kira, and closed his eyes. No sooner had he done so, he was brought back to being wide awake as Kira's arm slid over his waist. He stiffened, was she still asleep?

Kira's hand travelled over his stomach and found its way under his waistband, rubbing against his erection. Definitely awake. Her body came flush with his back and she whispered in his ear, sending shivers down his spine, "What did I say about control, Hiei?" A low groan left him as her hand moved up and down over his member, that delicious pressure mounting quickly. Just as he was about to release, her hand stopped moving, halting his orgasm. His brow furrowed in confusion. Why had she stopped?

"What did I say, Hiei?" She actually wanted an answer. He tried, but he was breathing too hard and was desperately in need of releasing. The tightening pain kicked in and he growled in frustration. Kira tightened her hold slightly and pulled up on his shaft, relieving him of some of the pain. His breath hitched as she reached his tip and stopped. "I'm waiting," she purred in his ear and applied more pressure just below the head of his erection. Hiei was seeing stars, halfway between pleasure and pain. She wanted an answer, but he didn't know if he could. He opened his mouth, but all that came out was a low, guttural groan. Her pheromones washed over him like an ocean wave, making it that much harder to concentrate. His brain felt fuzzy and his eyes wouldn't focus.

Her hand started moving again and his pain eased, giving way to that pleasurable tension once more. His breathing ragged, he felt himself nearing orgasm once again. All things blessed be damned that she stopped again. "I'm still waiting," she breathed. He knew what she wanted, but between his own harsh breathing and the fog in his head, there was no way for him to verbalize his answer. He would have to _show_ her. After a long moment, she started on him again, stopping just as he was nearing orgasm. Now he was getting pissed.

He screwed his eyes shut and forced himself to focus, pushing away from the fog. He needed _control_ and Kira had made it very clear that he didn't have any, which only served to piss him off even more. To regain control, he knew he would have to lose his erection, but the question was, how? He'd always just waited it out before… He thought quickly. Maybe, if he could figure out what had caused the erection, the opposite of the cause would be what got rid of it. The answer was easy to how it was caused: _her pheromones._ His body was attracted to the smell like bees to pollen. So, he only needed to focus on what his body _wasn't_ attracted to? Seemed easy enough.

Kira's hand on his member was quite distracting, so he first tried to imagine that she was a man, instead. As disgusting as that was it didn't seem to be _quite_ enough to fully distract him. Hiei's eyes snapped open as his mind went to a very _specific_ man. The most vile, disgusting creature he'd ever had the displeasure of knowing. Yeah, that did it. He very nearly retched and that was the end of his erection. Gone, like a deflated balloon.

She slowly withdrew from him, giving him space and the scent of her pheromones receded. He sat up and inspected his right hand. It was trembling slightly. Having been denied one release, his body was looking for another way to dispel the pent-up tension. He could feel the current of his energy fluctuating erratically beneath his skin. Guess he was getting that workout in, after all. Without a word or backwards glance, he reached for his sword hidden under the mattress before standing and walking to the window. He paused long enough to brace his foot against the sill after he'd opened it and coiled his body like a spring, preparing for the leap to the nearest tree. Kira said nothing to stop him and he disappeared beyond Kurama's gardens to release some energy.

Kira let out a heavy sigh once Hiei was gone. He was pissed, she knew it, but she'd only done what was necessary. If he couldn't control himself, she didn't know how long she'd be able to control herself. She was not interested in taking something from him that he wasn't interested in losing. She threw an arm over her eyes and let out a frustrated groan, sure that he was going to need an explanation for her actions, but knowing it might have to wait.

Kira stood from the bed and reeled, the exhaustion from holding back her hormones hitting her hard. She frowned as she steadied herself at the door. Keeping constant control was taking its toll and _that_ was something she wasn't used to. She must have been holding back a lot more than she realized and she'd never needed to hold back this much before. Once her head stopped spinning, she crossed the hall to her room to change her clothes and headed down the stairs for breakfast. She wondered how much longer she could hold on before her body's instincts took over.

Spook and Recon looked up from the table as she entered the room and gave her worried looks. They could tell she wasn't quite herself, but couldn't be sure why as she held a tight rein on her pheromones. Kurama stared, too, even more concerned since he knew what she was going through. She rolled her eyes at them as she took a seat at the table, a migraine now pounding in her head. Kuwabara paused in his conversation with Yusuke long enough to wish her good morning.

She grunted in response and waved him off, bringing her hands to her temples. Kurama placed a hot cup of tea in front of her, lingering briefly. She looked up at him and smiled her thanks, weak as it was. She was going to need more of a boost than tea, however. Kurama seemed to understand this as he nodded, "I'll get you some berries." Berries. Nature's energy source. Full of anti-oxidants, nutrients, and, of course, sugar. Kurama placed a bowl of blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries in front of her and she nearly drooled. He knew exactly what she liked and she was thankful for the food as she ate them one at a time.

About halfway through the bowl, she realized this wasn't going to be enough. Her gaze slid over to Recon, who was being careful to keep his eyes on his plate. Poor guy was worried about her, but didn't dare risk pissing her off by staring. Smart man. "Recon," he paused mid-bite, "You got any of that demon fire whiskey you usually carry around?"

His eyes widened as he brought his gaze to meet hers. There were only a handful of reasons she would ever ask him for a share in his stash and none of them were good ones. He reached into the interior pocket of his jacket and pulled out a flask, "Yeah, here you go. Take all you need." He swallowed hard as she snatched the bottle from him, a bit rougher than she'd intended. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Spook counting on his fingers. She rolled her eyes as she poured the whiskey over the remaining berries. She picked up a fork and started mashing it all up together, creating a soupy mixture. Recon reached to take his flask back, but Kira slammed her hand around it and shot him a glare. He shrank back as she picked up the flask and downed what was left followed by lifting her bowl and drinking the thick sweet contents.

Even though he'd been talking to Kuwabara, Yusuke had watched the whole process in fascination. "I didn't know you were a morning drinker, Kira." He commented.

She snarled at him, the migraine making her mood quite foul, "Today I am."

"Whoa," Yusuke put his hands up in surrender, "Okay, then. Whatever you say." Kira picked up the hot tea in front of her and sipped it down, the liquid feeling smooth compared to the burning of the whiskey. Slowly, but surely, she felt her migraine ebb away and she closed her eyes. She smirked at the collective sigh of relief between Spook and Recon and opened her eyes. Kurama was still keeping a wary eye on her as he brewed some more tea. Lavender and chamomile by the smell of it. He hoped to keep her calm and it was working already.

Just as she was getting to a place where she'd be okay for the rest of the day, Hiei walked in through the back door. Sweaty and… _shirtless,_ with his sword in one hand and his crumpled up shirt in the other. Kira froze, her cup crashing to the table as she stared at him, wide-eyed. He really was a perfect specimen of a man…

"Kira!" Kurama reprimanded, "You broke one of –" he stilled just as he'd reached to pick up the pieces.

All of her former composure, the regained control, was lost as a wave of her pheromones swept through the kitchen. Recon and Spook didn't dare move as they stared at her. Kurama's eyes had darkened with lust. Even though he was her cousin and he'd never try to mate with her, didn't mean that he wasn't affected. When the scent hit Hiei, his nostrils flared and he turned to her with a furious glare. Kuwabara remained oblivious, but Yusuke had caught the scent. Being only half-breed, he didn't understand its implication. He sniffed a couple times. "Hey, Kurama, you baking something? Smells really good… _hello._ " Her pheromones had begun to affect even him.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Urameshi, I don't smell anything. The oven isn't even on, man." Kuwabara tested the air, but his human nose would never pick up the scent. Kurama, Recon, and Spook cast fearful glances at them, but Kira's eyes were locked with Hiei's. Kira winced, muttering an apology, and tried desperately to rein herself in.

"You are unbelievable," Hiei growled at her. She flinched, feeling bad for how she was affecting everyone. "You put me through _hell_ this morning, going on about controlling myself, but you can't even control yourself."

Kurama unfroze and backed away towards the counter and Recon and Spook shot from their seats to join him as Kira snapped. "What," she ground out, "did you say?"

"I said," Hiei bit out, "you're a hypocrite."

Kira stood from her seat, banging her hands on the table, "How _dare_ you!" All the men flinched, even Hiei a little, "You think this isn't _hard_ for me? That I can just snap my fingers and, oh! Kira's not in heat anymore! Hormones? What hormones? Oh, pheromones? Yeah, those are gone, too!" her voice was steadily rising, "I don't think so!"

Yusuke inched towards Kurama, "What am I missing here?" he whispered as Kira and Hiei argued.

Kurama didn't dare look away from Kira when she was this angry, "Kira is approaching the time that she goes into heat. Because of that, she releases pheromones into the air. It's her body's way of seeking a mate. Normally, she's got a pretty good handle on them, but it seems she's having a rough go of it today."

Yusuke glanced at Kira thoughtfully, "So that smell I noticed before… that was her?"

Kurama nodded, "It has quite the effect on male demons, whether they want to be or not. It's an instinctual reaction."

Yusuke's eyes widened, "So, what you're saying is that it's because of her pheromones that I've got this raging boner?"

Kurama grimaced, "I'm afraid so. Don't feel bad, it's not like you're cheating on Keiko or anything. Your body literally can't help reacting to it. Even as her cousin, I cannot escape its effects, either."

"Not gonna lie. That's kinda gross, man, but if you can't help it, you can't help it." Kurama's lips twitched in half humor.

"Why should I have to suffer for it?" Hiei yelled back at her, "Do you have any idea what you did to me?"

Kira gaped at him, " _Suffer!_ You don't know what you're talking about! Did you even stop to think about what this does to _me?_ " Before she knew what was happening, hot tears spilled down her face. She swiped them away angrily and stared at her wet hands in confusion, "Stupid fucking hormones. Am I really so frustrated that I'm _crying_ right now?" Hiei flinched, astounded. He never thought he'd see tears from someone like Kira. She clenched her hands into fists, her knuckles turning white, and stormed from the kitchen.

Silence filled the room as everyone turned to stare at Hiei as one. Hiei glared back at them, "What?" he snapped. They all gave him a mixture of looks varying between shock and disappointment.

Recon shook his head at him.

"You really don't know anything about women, do you?" Spook asked flatly.

Kurama looked thoughtful, "I don't think I've _ever_ seen her cry. Not even when we were children…"

"Not. Cool, man." Yusuke said.

"I always knew you were not gentleman, but that was harsh, shorty." Even Kuwabara had something to say.

"Urk," Hiei stepped back and glared at them all, feeling much like a cornered animal. Why was this _his_ fault? It wasn't like he'd _made_ her lose control. Had he?

Recon let out an agitated sigh, "I'm going to go check on her. We leave for the new location in two hours. Make sure you're ready." He narrowed his eyes pointedly at Hiei.

Kurama let out a sigh of his own before turning a critical eye to Hiei, "You and I should have a chat. _Outside._ " Hiei's lip curled in anger, but he followed the red-head, anyway.

The well was a popular place these days as Kurama leaned against its edge, facing Hiei directly. His gaze drilled into the fire apparition's as he tried not to be angry. It wasn't Hiei's fault that he didn't understand.

"Well?" Hiei growled.

Kurama closed his eyes a moment, collecting his thoughts, then opened them again before answering, "You're rather naïve when it comes to women, so I'm going to try explaining this to you without being angry." Hiei flinched at the dangerous glint in the fox's eyes, knowing better than to retort right now. "A female in heat is like a carefully woven tapestry and the slightest tug on the wrong thread will unravel the whole thing. Kira exerts an enormous amount of energy just to keep her pheromones in check. This requires her to maintain a high degree of focus, as well, and her body's instincts are fighting her the entire time."

Hiei's brow furrowed in thought and he nodded in understanding. Kurama went on, "Now, keeping in mind that she is fighting her own instincts every minute of the day, factor in living in a house full of males. Her body is screaming at her to choose a mate, wearing her down. After a few days, she's going to be in a weakened state already, but, then, also factor in a male she finds attractive." Hiei's jaw dropped as Kurama gestured at him. While he'd never thought himself ugly, Hiei hadn't really considered himself attractive, either. Or rather, he hadn't given it any thought at all. Kurama chuckled lightly, "You think she would offer you what she has if she thought you were ugly? Even without her pheromones, she is already attracted to you."

Hiei frowned and cast his gaze at the ground, "So, what you're saying is that, with her hormones, her body is hypersensitive, but because she's attracted to me, then it's even worse?"

"Yes," Kurama confirmed, "So every time she's around you, or if you happen to be aroused around her, it chips away at her control. That control was already fraying this morning, and when you walked in the room shirtless… well, you know what happened."

Hiei frowned in realization and muttered, "Then it was my fault…"

Kurama cocked an eyebrow, "I'm not sure I would go so far as to say it was _all_ your fault. Don't beat yourself up, you didn't know."

Hiei lifted his gaze to Kurama. He felt pretty terrible for yelling at Kira, now, but there's no way he was going to apologize. She had put him through hell this morning, "Is there any way to make it easier on her?"

Kurama's eyes widened, surprised that Hiei would even ask. The fire demon had quite the tendency to be prideful and selfish, "You mean, other than being mindful of yourself around her?" Hiei nodded, "Well, if my information is correct, then orgasming should help take some of the pressure off of her."

"Orgasm?" Hiei's nose scrunched up, "How does a woman _orgasm?"_

Kurama gaped at him, suddenly thinking that it was time to find some new friends.

A few hours later, Hiei let himself into the mansion that Kira had set up as their base and as their front. Although, if they were honest about it, the place was more like a castle. In the foyer, Kira was waiting alongside Spook and Recon. It had taken an hour to travel to the place and Kira had yet to say a word to him. So, when Recon asked him to do a perimeter sweep, he'd taken his damn time. Her irritation showed as he approached the three of them, but she didn't address him or his lack of timeliness. Whatever. It wasn't like he cared. Not really.

Okay, he kind of cared. He still felt a bit bad for yelling at her for something she couldn't really control. He hadn't known, but she also should have told him. And that's why he wouldn't apologize. No, as far as he was concerned, _she_ should apologize to _him._ "The perimeter was all clear." Hiei told Recon, who nodded in approval. Reaching into one of his bags, Recon pulled out a large jar and opened it. As soon as he did, what looked like thousands of tiny bugs flew out of it. Recon grinned at Hiei's curious stare.

"Camera bugs," he waggled his eyebrows, "Clever, right?" Hiei watched the bugs spread out across the mansion and shrugged, not really caring.

"Alright," Kira's voice took Hiei's attention from the camera bugs, "You guys go choose a bedroom for yourselves. Naturally, I'll be taking the master bedroom. Recon, I expect your equipment to be set up and running within the hour. Spook, Monger will be here any moment. I want you to help her get settled in once she does. We'll meet in the parlor at the end of the hour." The two men nodded, giving her a slight bow of respect before going their separate ways. Hiei and Kira were now alone in the foyer.

She still did not address him, but appeared to be waiting for something as she examined the chandelier above them. He knew she was waiting for him to make the first move, but that just wasn't happening. He started for the eastern-most stairwell, determined to keep as much distance from her as he could, for now. "As my bodyguard, your room is to be across from mine," Hiei turned and found her piercing gaze on him, making him shudder internally, "In the _west_ wing." Without bothering to stare him down, she grabbed the luggage she'd brought from the floor and headed for the western staircase, "See you in an hour." And she disappeared up the stairs.

Growling to himself in agitation, he followed her energy up the stairs. He followed her energy up the stairs and stopped on the first floor. He stared down the hall. About halfway down was a door that stood ajar. He sensed Kira was just inside, so he headed down and faced the door to what was to be his room. He opened the door, looked inside, then promptly shut the door again.

No way was he staying in that room.

Kira threw her duffel bag onto her bed as she entered the master bedroom. Crossing the room to the window, she threw it open to let in some fresh air. It was a large picture window, fitted with a wide seat, that latched together in the middle of the panes and opened like a standard kitchen cupboard. She took a deep breath, trying not to seethe. _That arrogant, stuck up…_ She had waited for an apology, but had received none. A wicked smile played at her lips. That was fine; she had plenty of ways to make his life miserable until he came begging on his knees. Although, he didn't really seem the type to beg. Even so, he would be the one to come to her, that was for certain.

Settling on the window seat, she stared out the window, enjoying the view of a small courtyard garden. The most captivating part was the beautiful cherry blossom tree right outside her window. It had just started to flower for the season. Soon, the air would be filled with its sweet scent. Kira suddenly sensed a presence enter through her bedroom door and she frowned.

"You really should ditch the kid and depend on a _real_ man to satisfy you."

She made an annoyed sound in the back of her throat, "I don't need to depend on _any_ man for anything. You already know that. Or should we repeat what happened the _last_ time you tried to get in my pants, Recon?" She slowly turned to him, murder flashing in her eyes.

Recon chuckled lightheartedly, running a hand through his short choppy hair, "No, I'll definitely remember that lesson. Still not any less of an offer, though." He waggled his eyebrows at her and she rolled her eyes.

"Since you're in here bothering me, then you must be set up." Kira turned her gaze back to the cherry tree.

"Yes. Just wanted to report in to you on that. Also, it's nearly time to meet in the parlor and I thought you might like to know so that you may get ready tonight."

"And you decided to lead with an innuendo?"

Recon chuckled again, a bit nervously this time, "Well, you know. Can't blame a guy for trying. Especially knowing you'll be in heat soon –" Kira snapped around to face him, a snarl ripping from her throat as she bared her canines at him. He raised his hands in surrender and quickly rebutted, "Not that I would try to mate you! I just know it'll be a rough time for you."

She stood from the window, " _Get out._ " Recon wasted no time, bowing deeply before taking his leave. She slammed the door behind him and turned to her dresser. It was going to be a long day if her returning migraine got any worse. She was surrounded by too many men…

The parlor was stuffy, not to mention overly flamboyant. Hiei sneered at the small room. Spook and Recon were already there, a strange woman between them. She wore a suggestive kimono that should have covered more than it did. A sharp contrast to the men on either side of her who wore black cargo pants and black muscle shirts.

A strange electronic device was attached to the side of Recon's head, hooking over his ear to hold it in place and a small pane of glass that extended over his right eye like a monocle. Reflected images seemed to flash in rapid succession in the glass. Recon caught Hiei staring and grinned, "You like it? It's how I keep track of all my bugs."

The girl shivered, "Ew, I wish you wouldn't mention those foul things. They creep me out."

Recon flashed her an annoyed glance, "It's not like they're _real_ bugs. They're perfect pieces of technology."

She shook her head, "They fly around like the real ones do. They're creepy."

"Stop whining, Monger, it's not like you have to deal with them."

Everyone's attention snapped to the parlor doors where Kira had just entered. Hiei had to stop his jaw from hitting the floor. Her image had been completely changed. Her hair now fell in long copper waves down her back and her sapphire eyes were now gunmetal grey. What really caught his attention, however, was the elegant navy gown that graced her body. The hem reached her ankles, but split up the left side revealing her slender leg at mid-thigh, covered in sheer black hose. The neckline was modest, reaching just an inch below her collarbone. Her arms were bare, her skin seeming to shimmer in the light.

Hiei swallowed hard. Had she always been this gorgeous? He quickly refocused himself. Until she walked past him, her heels clicking on the marble floor, and got a good look at the back of the dress. It plummeted to her waist, revealing every inch of skin on her back, the fabric starting its descent just above her buttocks and hugging all the right places on the way down. Hiei used every ounce of self-control to keep himself reined in.

He frowned suddenly as he realized her fox ears and tail were gone and she now had a pair of human-looking ears. She turned to him, her gaze meeting his, "Join us on the couch, Hiei. We start tonight." While she held a straight face, humor sparked in Kira's eyes as though she knew exactly what he'd been thinking about her. His frown deepened as he joined the small team circle. Kira gestured to the other woman, "This is Monger. She is the gossip queen, intermingling with other party goers to glean whatever useful information she can from them, _however_ she can. Not my requirement, it's just how she operates, which just so happens to work in my favor. I snatched her up the moment I recognized her talents."

The petit girl, now known as Monger, blushed with a smile. Recon chuckled, "You're giving compliments, again."

Kira growled at her comrade, "You'll keep your comments to yourself and speak only when spoken to." Hiei's eyes widened at her anger towards him. He wondered what had been done to earn her ire. Spook and Monger seemed equally surprised, but Recon lowered his head in submission.

"Yes, ma'am. My apologies."

Kira's growl slowly ebbed away as she stared him down, ensuring his full submission was being given. Hiei was stunned by the dominance she held over her comrades. She made sure they knew her command was indisputable and they did. He briefly wondered how they had come to work under her so loyally.

Recon kept his head bowed and, slowly, Kira's features softened. Reaching out, she ran her fingers through Recon's bangs. An odd gesture to Hiei, but Recon looked up and something passed between them. It was almost as if she was silently offering him forgiveness for however he had transgressed against her. Hiei immediately felt the tension leave the room. He knew, though, that despite the exchange, her order for his silence remained in effect. Hiei was impressed by the authority she held.

The moment passed and she held out her hand to Recon, "Some of your bugs, please." Recon quickly pressed a small bottle into the palm of her hand. She tossed it to Hiei, "These are your responsibility. You will release them, _discreetly_ , at tonight's party. They will be able to capture anything we miss. At these events, it will be impossible to be everywhere at once, even with four of us. Monger, it would probably be best if you left now. The more time between our arrivals, the less anyone would suspect our connection."

The girl stood from the couch and gave a small bow, "Yes, of course." And she was gone as though she had teleported away.

Kira moved on, "Recon, you'll stay here and watch for anything that may need our attention. Hiei, Spook, and I will be wearing ear pieces should you need to contact us. Spook, for tonight, I want you as a backup bodyguard. You'll stay outside the estate and keep an eye around the perimeter unless I say otherwise. Gear up." The two men dispersed immediately.

Kira turned to Hiei. There was a moment of silence between them. An array of emotions flickered behind her eyes, none of which Hiei could discern. Except for one emotion that seemed ever present that he had noticed since she first arrived at Kurama's. It was anger. Just a spark of it at times, but he recognized it all the same. He recognized it because he possessed this anger, as well. An anger fueled by hatred. He wondered how far back and how deep that anger ran for her. He didn't have time to dwell on it as she finally spoke. "Your job is simple. As I said before, you will be my bodyguard. You will not leave my side and you will protect me from any potential harm." She paused as she stared at her open palm, frowning deeply. Her frown remained when she looked back up at him, "Your uniform is in a package in the foyer. I expect you changed and ready out front in twenty minutes. I'll meet you there."

"Hn." Was Hiei's only response before she left him on his own. His brow furrowed as he contemplated his position. What was his true purpose here? Kira had been rather serious when she'd described what he was to do. He headed for the foyer. She was not lacking when it came to power. He'd sensed a great deal from her during their fight that morning. Was his part just for show or was there a more serious reason for his position?

He allowed his thoughts to drift as he entered the foyer and he lifted the package that Kira said held his uniform. He tugged at the string holding it together to peek inside.

 _No, not again…_

The estate for the event they were attending was massive. At least three times the size of the castle that they were staying in; Hiei couldn't bring himself to call it a mansion. As they approached the outer wall, Kira handed an ear piece to Spook, "Go. You know what to do." He took the piece and disappeared silently. She turned to Hiei and handed him one, as well, and smirked when her gaze fell on him, "Quit tugging at yourself. You look ridiculous and unprofessional."

Hiei grimaced, "What's ridiculous are these pants. And the shirt… do they both have to be so _tight?_ "

She considered him a moment, her newly silver gaze running over his body. After a moment, she shrugged, "I think it looks fine. Leather is a good look on you and you'll get used to the shirt. Before long, it'll feel like a second skin. The long coat was a nice touch on my part. You look much more menacing this way." The look in her eyes told him that she was holding something back.

He growled softly, "I _look_ like an idiot."

"On the contrary, you look exactly as I want you to. Just wear that same dark arrogance you normally do and you'll be just fine."

"Tch."

"There you go. You've already got it down." She paused a moment as though she were holding back laughter. When she had seemed to gather herself, she spoke again, "The duke we're looking for is Duke Izanagi Orochi. He will be here, as he always shows up to benefits like this. All the nobles do. I've already been attending these events for the past several weeks, integrating myself into this society as a newly surfaced heiress from the other side of Demon World. Just as I am using a fake image, I am also using the fake name, Amaya. You many only address me as 'my lady' or 'Lady Amaya'. Understood?"

He nodded as they passed through the outer wall of the estate. They were immediately greeted by the Receivers and led into the main estate. Upon their entrance, Hiei struggled to keep his focus as his senses took in the extravagance that made up the entire interior. No expense had been spared on this place. Party goers milled about here and there, nearly filling the space inside. Several of them took notice of their entry and approached.

"Lady Amaya!" they would exclaim as they reached them. Kira smiled brightly at them all. He lifted an eyebrow at her back. Fake image, fake name, and a fake smile. She was starting her own trend.

One particular gentleman reached out and took her hand to offer it a kiss. Hiei stepped up close behind Kira to keep an eye on him. He still was not sure what kind of danger he was looking for. The gentleman noticed Hiei's sudden closeness and he nervously addressed Kira, "My lady, who might _this_ man be? I don't believe I've seen him accompany you before."

Without glancing backwards, she plastered on the sweetest smile, "This is Hiei. He's the captain of my security and personal body guard. Please pay him no mind, he's new to the job and just a bit overprotective."

The mention of his name drew the attention of several onlookers and did not slip past this gentleman, either. The man's eyebrows rose, "Hiei? You mean the one who fought Mukuro in the Demon World tournament?"

She feigned innocence and waved him off, "I'm not all that sure. I can't say that I paid very close attention to the tournament. I don't much care for violence." This, however, did not deter the man and he took a step closer to Hiei for a better look. Hiei snarled when he got too close, making him jump and leap back a bit nervously.

The gentleman collected himself quite quickly, however, "By the gods, you _are_ Hiei. I don't believe it!"

A low murmur filled the room. His name was drawing too much attention, "Would you mind keeping your voice down?" he growled, "The last thing I need is a scene." The man brought a hand to his face, his eyes widening.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, I didn't even think about that. I suppose a scene would make your job a bit more difficult, huh? Please accept my humblest apologies." He gave a slight bow, but Hiei only made an annoyed sound and pushed past him with Kira in tow. Once they were out of earshot, she chuckled lightly.

"Well, that was rude of you. I hope that doesn't come back on me later." Her tone was annoyed, but humor was clearly written on her face. Was she saving face as part of her act? Or was she really amused? Hiei couldn't be sure. It wasn't long before another gentleman approached them and the muscles on Kira's back tensed. Hiei noticed this and made sure to keep a close eye on this one.

The man took her hand, as many of the others had, and placed a kiss on its back, giving her a slight bow, "My dear, I had hoped I would see you tonight," he eyed Hiei, "You'll have to share how you managed to get such a notorious demon such as Hiei to be your personal guard." He gave a flicker of a grin.

Kira gave a twinkling laugh, "Duke Orochi, what a pleasure. I'd be more than happy to tell you all about it. Perhaps over some champagne?" There was a murmur of whispers around them. There was a bit too much attention being given to the mention of Hiei's name. He didn't like it, but tried to keep his focus on who he now knew was their target. The duke's yellow eyes swept over Kira's form, causing an uncomfortable and unexplainable stirring in Hiei's chest.

"Lady Amaya, 'Izanagi' is just fine. In fact, I prefer it." He practically purred as he slipped an arm around her shoulders. Gently, the duke turned her towards the champagne table, "Champagne sounds lovely in company such as yours." Hiei moved to follow them, but suddenly found himself surrounded by women. They crowded him and when he tried to push past them to stick close to Kira, they pressed in closer. Their high-pitched voices grated on his ears as they took turns asking him questions.

"I heard the men talking. Are you really Hiei from the Demon Tournament?"

"Can I see the dragon?"

"Do you have a sword with you right now?"

"Can I touch your muscles?"

Hiei felt his irritation skyrocket. These were supposed to be _noble_ women? Didn't they have a single shred of self-constraint? He found himself growling, but that only seemed to excite them more. He saw Kira turn back, hearing the commotion. She grinned and waved to him, "Have fun, Hiei. I'll be fine with Duke Izanagi at the champagne table. I'm sure I can handle that much." Hiei gaped at her in disbelief. She'd been faking her smiles all night, but this one was genuine. A glint of mischief sparked in her eyes as she abandoned him. He was utterly on his own.

How was he going to get away from these ridiculous women?

The same pattern continued on through the next week. Kira and Hiei would attend each party, benefit, or gathering and, every time Kira's back was turned, Hiei would find himself surrounded by women. Kira understood the discomfort this caused him, and reveled in it. It was her small act of revenge against him since he seemed too stubborn to apologize to her. However, revenge seemed short lived as he appeared to slowly grow accustomed to the inevitable swarm and seemed to become more adept at shaking them off. Not to mention the twinge she felt seeing him surrounded by so much attention. It was ridiculous that she would feel anything at all and so she figured it must be something caused by her increasing hormones. It certainly wasn't a feeling she recognized.

Whatever it was, she was exhausted and was glad that she would have the night off. There wouldn't be any benefits or the like for another week, in fact. They were held commonly like this, one week on and one week off.

She sighed as she made her way to her room. Night had fallen and she was ready to shed her human-like form. Combined with keeping her pheromones in check, holding this form really drained her. As usual, Hiei was nowhere to be found, probably mad at her. Mad at her for not being the one to apologize first, which wouldn't happen, and for abandoning him to a gaggle of annoying giggling noble women. She could feel his energy, though, so he was hanging around somewhere. Kira shook her head, clearing her head of such thoughts and instead turned them back to her exhaustion.

Upon entering her room, she didn't bother with any lights, the full moon shining brightly enough through her window to make them unnecessary. Without pause, she shut her door and stripped of all her clothes. Slowly, her energy built up until she was finally able to be rid of her disguise, her head thrown back and back arching in delightful relief at the return of her foxlike form. Feeling more comfortable in her own skin, she took a relaxing shower.

Wrapped in a towel, feeling clean and totally at ease, she took to the window seat, opening the window, and stared at the moon. A slight motion in the cherry blossom tree caught her eye. There was no breeze, so it wasn't just a rustle of the leaves. When her gaze caught the source of the movement, an anger filled her as her mouth dropped open in disbelief, "Are you _serious?_ "

A single ruby eye cracked open to meet her stare, spark for spark, "Problem?" His tone hinted that she had better not.

"Ugh!" she cried out indignantly, "How long have you been sleeping in that tree?" she gasped, "Have you been _watching_ me?"

Hiei was still a moment, completely expressionless until a slow smirk spread across his lips, "Why? Do you have something to hide?"

Kira growled in fury. Calming herself quickly, she said flatly, "I'm not building you a damn treehouse so that you can live in that tree."

He closed his eyes again, "What makes you think I need a house? I'm fine just as I am."

"Oh? Is that so?"

He huffed, "Yes. Now leave me alone. I'd like to sleep."

"Sure, if that's what you really want. I heard that it's supposed to rain tomorrow night, though. Are you sure you'll be okay out here?"

He barely slit his eyes open to glare at her, "What are you getting at?"

She raised an eyebrow at him, barely able to conceal her humor, "Well, you'll get wet and cold trying to sleep out here in the rain. Not to mention, you might get sick. If you want to live outside, it's not my place to stop you, but I'll be damned if I'll just let you waltz back in whenever you want," her eyes glinted deviously, "I'm not Kurama, after all." She had him and she knew it. He absolutely hated it, but there was a small part of him that admired her ability to trap him with just a few words. A _very_ small part.

"I'm not staying in _that_ room."

She smirked, "You don't have to, as long as you stay close."

"And that would be where, exactly?"

She gestured to her room, rising from the window seat, "You are more than welcome to share my room whenever you want. There's plenty of space."

Hiei sat up in the tree, now fully awake and very suspicious, "What's the catch?"

A grin lit up her face, mischief blatant in her eyes. Why did he feel as if she'd just caught him in her snare; hook, line, and sinker? "I'll allow you to come and go as you please _if_ you give me a full apology for your behavior last week."

He grit his teeth, " _Apologize_ to _you?"_ I think _you're_ the one who owes _me_ an apology for the hell you put me through that morning."

She rolled her eyes, "A little lesson in self-control and you run off crying like a baby. I don't think you understand the constant hell that I've been going through _every day_. What you felt that morning was _nothing._ " He averted his eyes. He hadn't really thought of that. Maybe he _should_ apologize. Except, he'd never apologized to anyone for anything. His gaze slid back to her, standing in nothing but a towel, and his thoughts went back to what Kurama had told him about how she could be relieved of some of her burden. Maybe he could apologize without _really_ apologizing…

In one lithe movement, he stood and leaped through the window, landing in front of her. She took a step back, giving him space, but he closed the distance between them. With one hand, he grasped her towel. "What are you doing?" she asked a bit hesitantly. He unfolded the towel from her body and allowed it to fall to the floor. She made no attempt to cover herself. She was too confident to be shy and he rather like that about her. "I asked –"

"Shut up." He silenced her as his eyes drank in her moonlit skin. If he was honest with himself, he'd been tempted to run his hands over her body since he'd first seen her in the dress. He'd reined himself in since then, refusing to allow his thoughts to wander and linger on it, but now he succumbed to his lust, letting it fill the air around him.

Kira's eyes widened, then narrowed, as she caught his wild scent, "Hiei…" her tone held warning, but he ignored it.

"Kurama told me there's a way to relieve some of the pressure you're under…" he trailed off, letting the implication of his words sink in. it was only but a moment before his senses were assaulted by her pheromones. This time, he welcomed it, breathing deeply.

Kira was surprised by his offer, but she doubted he knew where to start. She grinned, anyway. This was probably the only kind of apology he could offer her and she would take it. Gladly.

 **A/N:**

 **LONGEST CHAPTER I'VE EVER WRITTEN! O,O**

 **I hope you enjoyed this one as much as the previous chapters. As always, please send reviews! They make updating so much easier! ;D**


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